I'm thinking of maybe taking the plunge.
Imperial with mahognay body, flame or quilt maple top, ebony fingerboard 34" scale. Depending of price, maybe Walnut top-maybe.
There was one on your site Joel that had the p/ups in more of a 60's Jazz arrangement. May go that route as well.
Other than that, nothing crazy wood wise or electronics (Pope 3 band).

I'm thinking of maybe taking the plunge.
Imperial with mahognay body, flame or quilt maple top, ebony fingerboard 34" scale. Depending of price, maybe Walnut top-maybe.
There was one on your site Joel that had the p/ups in more of a 60's Jazz arrangement. May go that route as well.
Other than that, nothing crazy wood wise or electronics (Pope 3 band).

Shut up KEN!!!!!!!
I had a chance to play 2 Matt Garrison basses in Cincinati. And both were stinkin' nuts!
I had my trusty Sadowsky 5 with me and had the chance to A/B it next to them.............I'm not done with Fodera, just done with the one I had!!

Shut up KEN!!!!!!!
I had a chance to play 2 Matt Garrison basses in Cincinati. And both were stinkin' nuts!
I had my trusty Sadowsky 5 with me and had the chance to A/B it next to them.............I'm not done with Fodera, just done with the one I had!!

I have tried a few Sadowsky's and they do sound great and some looks pretty cool. Someday I want a white one!

But Fodera really rocks my world. I like the sound and the preamp really comes handy when playing different rooms. My sound is always clear (which I like) and playing live have become much eaiser. I took my Jazz bass to a gig last week and I really missed the my Fodera.

Actully I have been thinking of ordering a new Fodera!

A Emperor 4 with mahogany body and a redwood top. Ebony fingerboard. J-picks and a fingerramp. A thin neck profile and small frets!

I'm thinking of maybe taking the plunge.
Imperial with mahognay body, flame or quilt maple top, ebony fingerboard 34" scale. Depending of price, maybe Walnut top-maybe.
There was one on your site Joel that had the p/ups in more of a 60's Jazz arrangement. May go that route as well.
Other than that, nothing crazy wood wise or electronics (Pope 3 band).

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Hi Mike,
I usually gravitate towards 70's spacing but I picked up a Garrison 5 with 60's spacing a few months back and it absolutely rocks. The bass is Alder with an Ebony board. That combo, for me, really works. It yields a big, Fendery sound that I just love.

Hi Mike,
I usually gravitate towards 70's spacing but I picked up a Garrison 5 with 60's spacing a few months back and it absolutely rocks. The bass is Alder with an Ebony board. That combo, for me, really works. It yields a big, Fendery sound that I just love.

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How do you split say between that big Fendery sound and say something very modern, say like a Smith??
Pick-ups, woods, etc..????? One bass to cover a lot so to speak.
I'm gone for a few days north of Toronto, I'll chime back in when I get back.
Maybe I'll hit a few shops in the Toronto area!!

How do you split say between that big Fendery sound and say something very modern, say like a Smith??
Pick-ups, woods, etc..????? One bass to cover a lot so to speak.
I'm gone for a few days north of Toronto, I'll chime back in when I get back.
Maybe I'll hit a few shops in the Toronto area!!

Click to expand...

That 60's spacing combined with an Alder body and (though not period/fender correct) an Ebony board really gets you into that vintage territory - from both a sound and feel stand point. Coupled with Duncan duals or single coils and you've got a very fat and thick sounding instrument.

More modern, and potentially more versatile, would be a Mahogany or Walnut body with Ebony and possibly 70's spaced Aeros.

You really do have to take a systemic approach if you're trying to get close to a certain sound. When you take a bunch of variables that, by themself, work they don't always work when combined. You really have to think about the end result and the decision points along the way for getting you there. To me, that's the only way you'll get THE instrument, rather than just a really nice one!

I hope that helps. Feel free to drop us a line at the shop or shoot me an email/PM if you have other questions.

That would work quite well if you were looking for a round sounding bass with a full bottom and sweeter hights. Would you be going with a set neck or a neck through?

I had an alder body set-neck Emperor 4 some time ago that absolutely killed. It had an Ebony board and single coils. It had a Walnut top. It was probably the nicest four string I ever owned.

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I think I would like to have it neck through. The thing I like with my Elite is that I like the little space between the body and the top of the fingerboard! There are more space on Deluxe basses. That's a small thing and is only when I slap I think about it.

Actually I like to copy my Emperor Elite look just with a different woodcombo. Of couse it would a little less expensive with Deluxe model.
Also I was thinking of a Ash neck if that works well and I don't want solid top!
I really enjoy the thinner neck profile on my Emperor, so I want that to